Religion, philosophy and ethics

Year 7-9

There are opportunities for pupils to examine and reflect on the nature of God, the nature of belief and the characteristics of religion. Our study of Judaism focuses on Abraham and Moses, as well as the how Judaism contributes to our understanding of ‘community’. In our Christianity unit pupils investigate the person of Jesus, including some Trinitarian theology and a focus on morality. Students engage in a critical evaluation of the death of Jesus, considering the social, political and religious context that surrounded the crucifixion. Finally, our unit on Islam gives pupils the opportunity to explore common misconceptions and focus on the contributions that Islam has made in the UK and beyond. Throughout, pupils are asked to consider the practices, beliefs and rituals within Islam.

Year 8 RPE builds upon the skills that have been established in year 7 and begins to build their skills of critical analysis and evaluation. In Year 8 students have their first introduction to philosophy with an analysis of some ultimate questions such as ‘Does God exist?’ and ‘Why do we suffer?’ They are encouraged to consider philosophical, ethical and religious perspectives on these questions. We continue our philosophical journey with an exploration of Hinduism and Buddhism. Not only will they explore the practices and rituals associated with both, but they will also investigate the ethical and philosophical foundations of both religions too. We undertake a debate about the concept of ahimsa (non-violence) in the context of social protest and investigate different philosophical positions on the concept of anatta (no self).

RPE in year 9 serves as an introduction to work that can be continued further in the GCSE papers in years 10 and 11. Students are encouraged to develop their analytical skills further and to think critically about established philosophical and ethical concepts and ideas. Our syllabus examines the human condition, with their investigations will revolve around three central questions: ‘What do mean by ‘the self’?’, ‘Can humans be good?’, ‘How and should I be governed?’, ‘What happens when our humanity is denied?’, culminating in a debate asking ‘Are our best days ahead of us?’ We introduce students to significant philosophical and ethical ideas from the Western cannon and beyond, drawing on concepts from around the globe. Students will learn about key concepts, key scholarship, and key events which will help them develop the confidence and competence to reach, and defend, reasoned judgements.

Years 10-11

At GCSE we study two papers for examination with no coursework component. The first addresses Christianity and Islam – exploring theological, philosophical and ethical issues within these belief systems including the nature of God, logos, post-mortem existence, sacrament, poverty, religion and community, jihad and Sunni and Shi’a distinctions. The second paper addresses four themes: religion and life, peace and conflict, crime and punishment, and human rights and social justice. Our GCSE syllabus delivers an exciting exploration of how and why religion has had such a massive impact on our world and our behaviour. Students have the unique opportunity to consider and reflect upon how belief has shaped people’s position on issues such as abortion, euthanasia and relationships. They will have the chance to get involved in ethical conversations taking place in modern medicine, for example, as well as human rights, war and peace, environmental ethics, crime and punishment and the role of personal conscience in these matters. Our skills-based approach encourages pupils to develop a whole range of skills which are wholly transferable: persuasive skills, for example, as students are required to defend and discredit ethical views which may not reflect their own views; debating skills, as much of our work is discussion-based, encouraging pupils to become more articulate and provide evidence for their views or even argue for an opposing view; and finally logic skills, as pupils need to think through some complex and challenging philosophical ideas and arguments.

Sixth form

A Level RPE students grapple with some exciting and challenging questions, to give just a small sample, is Christianity sexist?, can God make a rock that is too heavy for him to lift?, does business have a duty to be ethical or profitable or both? Students are encouraged to present arguments with precision allowing them to think clearly and to argue convincingly about deeply interesting questions. We aim to enable students to think rationally, lucidly, independently and critically, to discuss intelligently, and to argue cogently. As important as the questions are, so is the process of learning to answer them. We are often asked what philosophy can be used for, and the answer is ‘absolutely anything’! A philosophy or theology A Level immediately demonstrates that a person can ‘think outside the box’ and weigh up wide-ranging arguments with precision and detail and is highly valued by top universities around the world. In a world where a creative approach is increasingly necessary, a grasp of philosophical, theological and ethical ideas and skills is a real benefit.